Yves Saint Laurent and Halston

One of the very first things I needed to do after returning to southwest Florida this month was rush to see the Yves Saint Laurent-Halston exhibit at the Naples, Florida Baker Museum before it closed.  The exhibit was here in town for the winter season after opening first in NYC at the Fashion Institute museum.  I am a baby boomer whose small town sewing and fashion sense was definitely influenced by the 60s and 70s designs of these two icons as their aesthetic trickled down the fashion chain.  I don't have pictures from that era to share my interpretations but I did see some patterns online that I know were part of my aspirational sewing back in the early 70s.  
Here are some of my pictures from this luscious exhibit.

Halston American Beauty Rose gown

Halston caftan

YSL Safari look

Of course I have to get close to look at those tiny baby hems on that gorgeous silk fabric....and I swear I owned a knock off of that flowered print on that other mannequin.

The cut and drape on these garments are simply timeless.
I giggled when I saw the YSL garments that inspired the Gunne Sax trend that I loved in the early 70s.  

I loved the Grecian draping on dresses from the era...some you might recall the Quiana fabric craze...and sewed a dress that I remember wearing to my friend's wedding in maybe 1976 with this design line.  Not the best look for my rectangular body but I so loved the flow of fabric.

Timeless!!!

The Pattern Vault Blog did a wonderful job of marrying some of these fashion themes to the 70s sewing patterns that were licensed by Halston and Yves Saint Laurent for home sewers.  
Seeing this exhibit was a trip down sewing memory lane for me and also made me appreciate the freedom we have today to define fashion for ourselves.  The 70s were the start of that exuberance and it was enjoyable to revisit that time.  Of course, as I get older I again have to redefine what works for me, my activities, my interests, my body.  But here's a bit of that boho look which is now so back in style.  It just so happened that this Chicos top perfectly matched the Dale Chihuly installation at the museum and a kind patron snapped this shot .  
Here's hoping that you have something inspirational and fun to keep in mind while you pursue your latest sewing project.

Jalie 3461 Eleonore Pants

Here it is the third week in March and I can already see the end of our wonderful month here in southwest Florida.  We have been enjoying the sunshine and the warmth of renewing friendships.  We have also enjoyed our usual pursuits of biking, kayaking, beach sunsets, happy hours, dancing along with reading and just daydreaming.
What does this have to do with sewing?  Well, some of those dear friends were formed around the local American Sewing Guild chapter and neighborhood group.  Seven of us got together last week for lunch and I remembered our usual procedure so I even brought along some "show and tell."
Yes, I too have jumped on the Jalie Eleonore pants Jalie 3461 Eleonore Pants bandwagon and I am glad I did.  I have a perfectly acceptable stretch woven pull on pants pattern, the Style Arc Elle pants, my Elle pants   but when Fabric Mart had a 30% pattern sale I bought the #3461 Eleonore pattern....and I am glad I did.  That back yoke was something i had considered adding to the Elle pants but here it was already done.
I read the reviews....mostly those of middle aged and older women who like me added 1 1/2 inches to the pant top to make it fit more snugly directly at the waist.  I made a sample mockup in a neon lime green stretch woven and decided to skip their elastic instructions and just use the wide 2" elastic I have with the waistband as a casing.  I decided I didn't need the mock fly front stitching nor the mock front pockets since I will always wear these with a pullover top.  Then I used  a technique from Peggy Sagers' jeans sewing advice.  She says to line up the back rear pockets to make them vertically parallel to the center back seam.  Many jeans have the top of the back pocket parallel to the yoke...but since the yoke is angled, the pocket bottom (where the point is) ends up pointing right out to the widest part of your rear.  I think it's a minor issue for me but it absolutely does make a subtle visual difference.  Another reason I so often like the advice from her aptly named "Silhouette Patterns."  She's always working to make us look taller and leaner and I can use any help I can get.
All three pairs I have made so far have not had a problem with the elastic done as a casing but eventually I will try a pair with their technique so I have a comparison to make.
Here are the three versions....and some comments about stretch woven fabric:

Jalie Eleonore pants, 3461

My first, favorite and most versatile pair.  They are from a very stretchy wool lycra blend with a fine, fine, fine micro rib.  Terrific recovery and the matte finish is so nice.  Fabric Mart Fabrics, of course.

Next pair is from another very stretchy woven that I thought would fit the same but oh no, a little bit lighter weight fabric and definitely clingier.  These pants have a 3/8 seam allowance but I cut them out with 5/8 vertical seams.....and I needed every extra bit to keep from serious VPL problems.  They are very comfortable because of that great stretch but I will make sure to only wear them with a good tunic top to cover my middle section.  I wasn't happy with the topstitching on this somewhat "bouncy" fabric but love the color.

I was sewing all of these pants at my winter sewing retreat at the end of January.  This third pair got quite a hoot when I modeled them with the faux fur vest I had on that day....sort of elderly rock star look.  They are from cotton stretch woven (yes, Fabric Mart Fabrics) and I knew they were going to need a little extra space in those vertical seams because they do not have as much recovery.  So again, cutting them with 5/8 seams and then giving up that extra 1/4 for fitting made them very wearable and kind cute, too. 

Back deck pics in February with very little sun, sorry

 In the interest of science, I will also share the back version on this wild print.  You can't notice the effect of the of the vertical pocket placement on this wild print, but trust me, it works.  Line them up to the center back seam and they point down your leg line, not outward.

Only because we are friends, right....

Now let me share these new pants in their native habitat, where I actually blend right in with the million other people here brightly decked out for the stronger sunshine and resort vacation experience.  

Feeling happy in Jalie 3461 even before happy hour with friends

Here's hoping you are getting to enjoy the people and activities in your life that make you happy.  Here a few more pics of what does that for me:

Vogue 8932...Better Late Than Never

It's a warm, sunny morning here in southwest Florida and I am basking in the quiet.  Mr. Lucky and I are back in our rental condo enjoying the vitamin D, seeing beloved dear friends and celebrating our mutual birthdays this month.  What better time and place to sit down and catch up on blogging about some "recent" sewing projects.  
Our Baltimore winter has been mild for the most part...with the exception of that 30 inch record-breaking snowstorm about a month ago.  That weather made it perfect for wearing this Vogue 8932
jacket.  Vogue 8932  It's OOP but still available on the internet.  I worked on it two years ago at the Northern VA winter sewing retreat in Winchester, VA.  I had made some pattern alterations and was working on my "good" version in a luscious brown ponte.  But those back seam lines caused me an annoying problem.  I got a "bubble" at each of the points and no steaming or pressing could make them sit flat enough for me.  Was it "wearable?"  Probably.  Would I enjoy wearing it?  Probably not.  So I abandoned the project, sulked, and moved on.  This past summer, at another sewing retreat, the talented, focused and creative Audrey, of    Sewtawdry casually asked about the jacket since she was curious about the result.  I had to somewhat shamefully admit that I had not returned to the project but that question made me pull out the pattern again in late fall.  
I made one more alteration before I cut it out.  I used this olive/chartreuse wool jersey that I had washed and dried several times so it feels like very lightweight boiled wool.  Yes, another Fabric Mart find from years ago that I had been saving for just the right project.  When I tried on the brown ponte jacket project (stored in my failed project mock up closet corner) I noticed that if I wore it with a tank top that the back was still a little too short for my taste.  I added 1 1/2 inches to the center back hem and tapered the curve to nothing by the side seams.  I also added 3/4 of an inch to the front of the jacket or else those points pointed to an unflattering part of my front anatomy.
Here are the pictures:

Vogue 8932 Front

Vogue 8932 Back

Vogue 8932

I love the lightweight but warm coziness of the jacket.  One of the challenges was deciding how to finish the facings on the jacket.  It is unlined but has facings along the front and all the way around the back.  Turning a seam allowance on this fabric, even with understitching, just was too bulky.  So I looked at several RTW boiled wool jackets and noticed a nice, flat seam edge technique for facings....

The facing is stitched wrong sides together then two rows of top stitching keep it in place.  

To prevent the facing from moving or flipping out, it was invisibly blind hemmed with nylon thread on the inside of the jacket.

Front facing, wrong sides together, two rows of top stitching then SA trimmed off.

I hand stitched the facings very lightly all around the jacket and am happy with how very "sweater-y" it feels when I wear it.
I topstitched all the seams with a medium weight silk thread, very subtle and tone on tone, but it also let me trim the seam allowances down and make them very flat.  I took my time doing it and was grateful for the free arm of my Viking 770 machine which let me slowly reach both sides of the two sleeve seams.

When it came to a closure, I decided I didn't want snaps as I had originally planned.  I found this strong magnet set on the notions wall at Joann's and hand stitched (with the help of a leather hand needle and thimble) both pieces in place.  It is strong enough to keep the jacket closed when I want it closed but does let time wear it open which is how I wear it most of the time.

I like how the magnetic keeps the front of the jacket sleek and unfussy.
Overall I am so happy that I came back to this project.  I think this pattern was a real sleeper and really deserved better than drawings on the pattern envelope.  I am planning to make a lightweight wind pro polartec version in the future.  I might even consider making a slightly longer straight hemmed version which keeps those flattering vertical seam lines but changes the hem design.  All in all, a great pattern and a real reminder not to give up when things don't go your way on a sewing project....although you might not want to put it off for two more years:-)

Merry Christmas Then and Now

Merry Christmas from my screen to yours.  
Yes, this was the Christmas outfit that my mother made many decades ago when this was the photo for our family Christmas card.  I don't have a photo of me wearing my Christmas outfit for this year since we have had nothing but fog and rain for the last week....and much of that week Mr. Lucky and I spent sniffling and coughing with a nasty winter cold.  Here is is on my dress form....another Tabula Rasa jacket with Fabric Mart glittery fabrics and piping done with silk from a gift given by a dear friend many years ago.  

Tabula Rasa Jacket by Fit for Art Patterns

I am looking forward to feeling like myself by next week and have a great new boiled wool jacket to share.  Until then, happy wishes for a great holiday time.

Sewing Retreat....

In early November I was fortunate enough to attend my third sewing retreat of the year.  I so enjoy being around creative people but this time I was not as prepared as I would have liked.  I enjoy having projects already cut out as well as prepped/marked/started. This time I was finding it difficult to focus on the projects I did bring and after three days came home feeling still a little discombobulated and frustrated.  Without much more ado, here's what I was able to accomplish:

So what are these items?  The two ruana-like hanging items were inspired by watching Peggy Sager's webcast on fall accessories from 2014 Oct. 20, 2014 Silhouette Patterns webcast on youtube  These are two woven fabrics from my resources center that fringe nicely.  I cut my version 30" wide and 58" long.  Then I cut a slit up the middle half way to the back neckline area.  Peggy doesn't suggest it but I cut out a 1 1/2" wedge of fabric for that middle slit and serged the  inside edges.  After that it's sit and fringe time while you chat with girlfriends.  There's another pair of Style Arc Elle pants on the left in a very soft leopard knit.  They look too hoochy mama for wearing out in public but they will be cozy knit lounge pants for the coming winter months.  Four infinity scarves with some purple or burgundy in them to coordinate with some long sweater cardigans in those colors.  One of them is a knit lace fabric with a piece of burgundy silk charmeuse as an interior single layer lining and it really makes the burgundy and purple in the print pop.  Not shown is a half finished Kwik Sew shirt for Mr. Lucky, a work in progress.  There's a journal cover that I made with Lorine Mason when she taught a two hour mini-class at the retreat.  We got to use her templates and paints to create our own "Urban Doodles."  Check out her pretty blog and clever projects:  Lorine Mason It's So Pretty

My favorite project from the weekend was getting a good start on this new jacket, Vogue 8932  8932

I have had this pattern for a few years and even had Sarah Veblen help me make some fitting adjustments and brought a cut out one to the 2014 winter sewing retreat.  But I cut it out of a lovely ponte knit and didn't stabilize those interior corners on the back.  The fabric stretched while I was sewing it, urghhh.   I'm not usually OCD but those bumps would not press out so I just put it in my frustration project pile and abandoned it.  Audrey of  Sewtawdry  asked me about it this year and I was determined to return and "make it work."  The fabric is wool jersey from Fabric Mart that I washed and dried two times to make it more like boiled wool, one of my very favorite winter fabrics.  I put small pieces of very lightweight interfacing at those angled corners and am happy with how they turned out.  I completed the front and back sections at the retreat and then brought it home to make my topstitching decisions.  Since then I've completed the jacket and will write up a post with more detailed pictures shortly in the near future someday. 

Sewing retreats aren't just for sewing, of course.  The weather was nice enough that every day I was able to take long walks in the sunshine:

Sunrise from my hotel room

Sunset on the bay one evening

After a day working on a complicated project we sometimes get giddy at night....and that's when sewing girlfriends really get funny.  I showed Sue and Lorine the Tumblr picture blog of vintage patterns with funny captions and dialogues:  "Pattern Behavior" and that got us to thinking and laughing at some of the giveaway patterns on the "freebie table."

"I hate our new sister bride.  She knows I look terrible in peach." 

"Is that what she meant about 'fan club'?" 

OK, enough silliness.  Just wanted to get my little blog/sewing journal caught up with my fall projects, limited as they may seem.  Here's hoping that your sewing projects are making you smile.